


Remorseful

by Fire_Sign



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Phryne appreciates Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 16:29:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7322455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Sign/pseuds/Fire_Sign
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prequel to jasbo's <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/7322392">Amends</a>. It's been a long day and Phryne shows Jack her appreciation...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remorseful

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Amends](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7322392) by [jasbo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasbo/pseuds/jasbo). 



Jack knocked on the door to Wardlow, and was escorted inside by a slightly concerned looking Mr. Butler.

“Miss Fisher is in the parlour,” he said as officiously as he could before beating a hasty retreat. Odd--he hadn’t taken Jack’s coat or offered him a drink.

Heading into the parlour and sighing heavily, Jack poured his own whiskey and tipped it back. Pouring a second, he thought about his meeting with the chief commissioner. Well, Jack said meeting--more like a bollocksing session over Phryne’s latest scheme.

"Making light of police authority!” Commissioner Gordon had shouted. “Allowing a civilian to impersonate an officer!"

Jack had managed to point out that they’d arrested a man who’d been eluding the police for months and would have been up shit creek without a paddle without Miss Fisher’s assistance.

He caught her scent just before he felt her arms wrap around his waist.

“Hello, Jack darling,” she purred.

He turned to embrace her, but she slipped from his grasp.

“Come sit down, dear Jack,” she said, leading him to the chaise. “I’ve warmed your slippers.”

“My… slippers?” he squeaked.

“Yes. And here’s today’s _Argus_.”

She handed him the paper with a startling degree of deference. He flipped through, hoping she’d stuck a note within its pages or was directing him to an article of interest. Nothing. But she was continuing to stare at him doe-eyed.

He leant in, remembering a certain Aunt Prudence and her aversion to shepherd’s pie.

“Is there… company I need to be aware of?” he whispered, eyes glancing around the room in an attempt to find a makeshift weapon.

“Oh no darling,” she purred again. “But you’ve had a long day and all I want to do is please you.”

Right.

That was…

Right.

“What the hell has gotten into you, Phryne?”

She froze, then some of her usual spirit seemed to infuse her.

“Damnit Jack,” she huffed, falling back against the chaise. “I’m trying to be appreciative.”

“... Ah… appreciative? _What_?”

“Appreciative. You know, ‘Oh, thank you for putting up with me even though it got you into trouble with your boss. Have a quickie in the parlour before dinner’? Appreciative.”

“That’s… not how this works. That’s not how _any_ of this works.”

“But we’re in a relationship and you got into trouble--”

“Which was my own choice, to begin with. Secondly, _no_. Absolutely not. I don’t want pity sex, or apology sex, or... whatever the hell this is.”

“But you did so much for me--”

“Because I wanted to. Because you are an asset to my investigation. Because…” he trailed off, torn between horror and disgust. “I--I can’t do this right now. I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

He stood, striding towards the parlour door.

“Jack, wait!”

He spun and faced her.

“Miss Fisher. I care for you. Deeply. And you know that I attach a great deal of importance to… what is between us. And you have tried to turn it into a currency, a debt to be repaid. I really cannot stay for dinner tonight. I’ll… speak with you tomorrow. Good night, Phryne.”

And he strode from the house, hurt and ashamed and feeling like an utter fool.


End file.
